Human Rights: Politics and Practice

by Michael E. Goodhart (Editor)

Featuring twenty chapters written by a multidisciplinary group of international experts, Human Politics and Practice is the first comprehensive human rights textbook designed for politics students. Offering unparalleled breadth and depth of coverage, it combines discussions of core theoretical approaches with detailed studies of major issues.

The first seven chapters introduce the main theoretical issues and challenges in the study of human rights as a political normative foundations, international law, measurement, international relations, comparative politics, sociological and anthropological approaches, and the ideological (mis)use of human rights. Thirteen thematic chapters then offer detailed analysis and case studies of key such key issues as economic globalization, genocide, the environment, and humanitarian ntervention.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

480 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2009

Reviews

[Fauzia Anwar Kargar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book can be distilled into three main points:
1. Human rights is universal. 2. Human rights is not universal. 3. Human rights should be culturally relevant.
I personally think that human rights often exist merely as an ideal at the international level, with implementation that is heavily biased—benefiting some while neglecting others. This book left me with more questions rather than answers but as my professor said; good questions are worth more than answers because they make you think more deeply and see more clearly.

[Angela Randall]

Anthony Langlois recommended this and mentioned this article.